On the 8 of December it was my Baptism day

Who is She that Cometh Forth as the Rising Morning, Fair as the Moon, Bright as the Sun, and 

Terrible as an Army in Battle-Array.

Song of Solomon 6:10 

Many years ago, when I was only two month old, I was Baptised. It was the 8 of December, the Immaculate Conception feast day.

-
The Immaculate Conception / Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

Advent

Advent is that: preparing ourselves for Christmas, which means the birthday of Our Lord.

Happy Thanksgiving

Even if here we don't do Thanksgiving, I have good memories of one I once had.

I'm happy

The Clinton woman LOST !!!

Oh, happy day !

Blogger problems

I have been adding some links to my ever growing list of blogs that I like to read. I don't read them all everyday, it depends on the mood of the day. Sometimes I do like to read organizational blogs because of my constant need of inspiration on that matter. Others times I like to see houses that look they came out of a magazine, maybe because mine is never like those, some others I avoid that kind of blogs so I will not get depressed because my house will never be like those.

But there are blogs that I have in my list to read, not to see the pictures. To say the truth, the pictures in them, when they exist, are a bonus but if there is none, I even so visit because it's a pleasure to read them.

Oh, well, I wonder why, Blogger is being silly on adding links: it decided that a lot of those blogs I have in my list are not to appear when they are updated, they all end in the bottom of the list.

I do hope this is temporary because  I risk loosing some very good posts.

I do hope tomorow everything will be well, but we never know.

PS: Obviously the picture has nothing to do with blogs or Blogger behaving in a strange way, it's just to cheer up myself and who read this.

Endless Summer

Dreaming of rain on the windows

I don't like the Summer. Yes, that's true, I like Winter and Autumn and the beginning of Spring - not the end because it's already Summer.

So we are having a reasonble Summer this year, not too hot but with some heat waves now and then that lasted just some two days each.

And so now we had another of those waves, Truly high temperatures that make me almost unable to think and to walk. I know, big exageration here, except for the part of thinking.

It's the end of Summer now but he doesn't know it and keeps going on. I long for fresher days with cardigans and sweaters. I even like gray days but now it's a endless Summer.

I read in some blogs how people are already beginning to decorate their houses in a Autumny way - in America, where they do that - and here it's like July or beggining of August.
I can see the Ivy blossoming, which is a sign that I look every year to give me hope that Summer is ending.

I even went to Weather Underground photos  - another place I like to go - looking for pictures of rain to keep my mind  off this eat. I looked in British blogs for posts on the coming of the Autumn. I look outside the window and all I can see is Summer.

Oh, well, most people like it. Not me.

Update:
After I wrote this post complaining about Summer I realized that the temperature today is falling down a little, they forecast a maximun of 27ºC. Better than nothing. I hope Summer will feel encouraged to go away for real. There is hope.

When I'm not here

I haven't been here much lately as everybody knows, assuming that there are people who come here and know when I blog and when I don't.

There are so many reasons for being away often.
One is that maybe I am a Jack of all trades, I do a lot of things, which doesn't mean I do something properly.

Another is that I work outside all day. I say I work outside because I don't like to say " I work" just because I work outside my house too, not only at home. It would look as if  women who work at home only don't work, they do and they work a lot - to say the truth the dream of my life is to retire early to work at home. Not from home, mind you, at home, minding my own life.

So I work out and even so I do like to go around on the internet world and I must find time for that. It means that I am present at Facebook, at Pinterest, at Flickr and at the blogosphere. And I research a lot all over the internet on matters that interest me so I may stay informed and have an opinion on all those matters. I visit some very good sites everyday.

And yes, I have work at home too.
It's a lot, isn't it ? That's why  I go from one place to another leaving things undone in all the other places where I can't go for lack of capacity of billocation - and also for lack of organizational skills, I must say.

Blogs
I don't intend at all to just go away from blogosphere, I do like to read several blogs of different kind, including organizing blogs that portray those amazing houses so neat and tidy with everything in its place. I gave up having a house like those, I just want a clean and tidy house, that's all and I can say things are going from good to better and I'm very happy with it.

Other blogs I like are those who show normal life either in America or in the UK. I like to feel as if I was there. I like to see how is the weather there, the fields and houses.

Pinterest
That is a way of not just get inspiration but also to open another window in me. I see and save things I like and have to do with me in many ways. It's an escape, a way to get inspired and to feel good.

Flickr
I used to be on Flickr for some time and then I stopped, the same way I stopped blogging - and in that time I was not on Pinterest. Now I'm back in full swing. Unlike Facebook, I don't need to think when I am there, I just relax. It's good.

Facebook
My opinionated side is happy there. I inform and get informed. I give my opinion. There I know people who think like me. It's where I work harder and I feel very good about it.

I always think that I need to come here more often. I will try harder.

Be a happy duck

I was reading a post on Fox Hollow Cottage about depression, Helpful Tools For Living with Depression and I saw very good advise there as, for instance, take on responsibilities, get enough sleep, to have goals (which like routines, are a kind of a map so you just don't go adrift) and to be kind to yourself.

I would like to add now a little advise of mine: inspire yourself.

One thing that keeps me going is to visit blogs I like and another one is to go to Pinterest. It's such a source of inspiration, of motivation.

Here is my Pinterest: Alfazema. Pretty things and motivational, being this board still in the beginning but which has only things that are related to me, to what I need to read and think to not stop trying.

Look for nice things that inspire you, feel well with some images and try to know why those images can give you peace, or well being or just make you feel well  but you don't want to know why, for now.

But now you must be careful to not stay in the inspirational part only and now I tell you something that is very important: ACTION. Go into action, don't stay seated in your dreams, in your wishes.

I know this has several levels: first we just can't do anything, even thinking tires you. Then you are getting better and feel you would like to live more, not just to seat in life. Then you feel really encouraged and start to make plans. Oh, I like this level, this is when I am feeling really well, so full of plans and wanting to live more.

Then...where is the energy for going into action, to make plans a reality ? That is the very hard part, but don't give up, one step each time without stopping. Don't feel discouraged.

One step after the other. GO !

Be a happy duck. Live happy inspite the troubles, one step after the other, one day, then another.

Believe, it's possible.

---

Partying at:
Amaze me Monday at Dwellings - The Heart of Your Home
The Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth
Inspire me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Tutorials & Tips Link Party at House Stories A to Z
This Is How We Roll at Organized 31.

Fuchsias

No words needed.

Joining:

Floral Friday Photos
Crazy Organized for Funtastic Friday 

A Palace and its Park

 

Do you remember the kitchen I talked about yesterday? The one in a Palace ? So today I will show you a little of the Palace and surrounding Park.

The Palace was built on the top of the mountain and was one of the residences of the Kings of Portugal. Walking there is like to be in a novel of the XIX century, really beautiful.

The Park is imense, so green and nice.
On the top we are often enveloped in fog which gives us a feeling of being in a story and not in real life.

The temperature there is always softer, even if we are in Summer.

But better than words, I let you see for yourselves, it's a wonderful place.

Joining:

A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday

Savy Southern Style for Wow us Wednesday.

Crazy Organized for Funtastic Friday

Our World Tuesday

An Old Kitchen

So we went, all happy, to visit this wonderful kitchen that has served Kings and Queens of the XIX and XX Century.

The Palace is all really beautiful, the interior and the outside, not no mention the beautiful park surrounding it. Probably I will make a post on the Palace too.

So, this beauty was built in Portugal, in a town near Lisbon. People may just take the train and then the bus.
.
Joining:
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday.
Savy Southern Style for Wow us Wednesday.
Organized31 for This is How We Roll
Crazy Organized for Funtastic Friday

Just saying

I've been reading blogs and what some people think of the referendum in Britain. I'm not British but I have my own opinion so I will say:
I'm very happy because the OUT won. And I like Boris.
Now sue me for that if you want.

Britain was great before the European Union and will be even greater after the Leave.

Step by step

Getting there

Each Day is a New Beginning

... and we must thank Our Lord for each morning.

The blessing of Seasons - Winter

I know, most people don't like Winter. 

Because it's too cold, or has too much snow or even because it's too wet.

Well, I like it any way.

I can't say I have snow here, which is a pity. Some years ago it snowed which was such an happening. Even the television stopped what it was doing it to announce that was snowing. Not anymore. What we get each year is a good dose of rain and wind and a little cold.

The forecast is announcing rain till the middle of the month and I, who like to dry my clothes in the sun, feel a little depressed about it.

To say the truth, Our Lord must be tired of complaints. First it was that it didn't rain for too long and I was fearing a severe drought. And I like so much the rain, I needed it to feel well. 

Now I complain that I need some days of sun because I can't dry my clothes. Oh, well, it's better to leave it with Our Lord Who knows better what to do.

Even so I can't wait to see my lines full of clothes to dry !

(old pictures, I'm afraid! Some new ones soon)

The twelve days of Christmas

....or why I still have my Christmas tree on.

As Christmas is not only a day but twelve, we must leave our decorations till the 6 of January - the Epiphany of the Lord - even if to put things easier many countries make the liturgical celebrations of Epiphany on the previous Sunday. Anyway, as I work outside and I am outside my home since the morning till the evening, I'm afraid we will only have all our decorations down by next Saturday, which is very much ok to me.

And now, do you, by any chance know the song The Twelve Days of Christmas ? And if you do, do you know its real meaning?

Here it is the song.

And its meaning.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” celebrates the official Christmas season which starts liturgically on Christmas Day and ends twelve days later on the Feast of the Epiphany.
 “My true love” refers to God, “me” is the individual Catholic. 
The “twelve lords a leaping” are the twelve basic beliefs of the Catholic Church as outlined in the Apostles Creed. 
The “eleven pipers piping” are the eleven Apostles who remained faithful after the treachery of Judas. 
The “ten ladies dancing” are the Ten Commandments. 
The “nine drummers drumming” are the nine choirs of angels which in those days of class distinction were thought important. 
The “eight maids a milking” are the Eight Beatitudes. 
The “seven swans a swimming” are the Seven Sacraments.
The “six geese a laying” are the Six Commandments of the Church or the six days of creation. 
The “five golden rings” are the first five books of the Old Testament called the Torah which are generally considered the most sacred and important of all the Old Testament. 
The “four calling birds” are the Four Gospels. 
The “three French hens” are the Three Persons in God or the three gifts of the Wise Men. 
The “two turtle doves” represent the two natures in Jesus: human and divine or the two Testaments, Old and New. 
The “partridge” is the piece de resistance, Jesus himself, and the “pear tree” is the Cross.

http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=dedestaca&id=3465